#Lo-fi/Surf rock

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

EVEN BEST COAST ADMITS THAT A LOT OF THEIR EARLY SUBJECT MATTER HASN'T AGED ALL THAT WELL -- THE 2010 YEARS.

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno of Los Angeles-based indie rock group BEST COAST, photographed in 2010, and in the same year as the release of their debut studio album, "Crazy for You." 📸: Roger Kisby.

ROLLING STONE: "What do you think of the image that became associated with the band after the record came out? Weed, cats, and California."

Cosentino: "I mean, on the one hand, I understand why it happened, because it was such a part of the aesthetic. I was also really outspoken at that time about smoking a lot of weed and loving my cat as much as I did and all that stuff."

On the other hand, imagine yourself at 22 getting famous — like out of nowhere, not expecting it to happen — and having this persona that you had at the age of 22 sticking with you. To this day people are like, “Cats and weed and California!” and I’m fucking 33 years old now."

To be completely honest with you, it did a bit of a number to me. In terms of my identity, I feel like I really thought that I had to be that person when, in reality, I don’t know that I really was that person. It was just kind of like a blip on the radar."

Bruno: "You never know when you make something what things people are going to latch on to from it. Smoking weed became one of the things — which is funny because I don’t even smoke weed."

ROLLING STONE: "I feel like 2010 was basically just all about weed and cats anyway. It was so different from now."

Cosentino: "That’s something I’ve been thinking a lot — realizing that this is coming up on a decade [since the debut]. Like, holy shit, it’s just so different — not just the politics and the environment but the way that music comes out and artists are discovered, the way that records are digested."

ROLLING STONE: "I feel like back then you had more room, too, to be sad about boys and smaller issues."

Cosentino: "Yeah, if I put this record out now, I probably would get people going, “What the hell is this? There’s more important shit to complain about.” This record came out at a time where you had more room to just marinate on this shady guy who won’t text you back."

-- ROLLING STONE, "Not Just Cats, Weed, and California: BEST COAST Talk "Crazy for You"" at 10," by Brenna Ehrlich, July 27, 2010

Source: www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/best-coast-crazy-for-you-anniversary-interview-1029892.

[possible-streetwear]

Man Or Astro-Man?

[cenaindie]

PELVS – 1991-2012 Caixa https://cenaindie.com/album/pelvs-1991-2012-caixa/

[stclover]

subject to changes/additions but these are pretty solid ♥

readmore for genres & recommended starting tracks!

🎧for albums that should be enjoyed through, at the very least, decent-quality headphones

_______________

Violet by The Birthday Massacre (2005) [darkwave]

"Violet" or "Play Dead"

Low Birth Weight by Piano Magic (1999) [lo-fi electronic/rock]

"Crown Estate"

🎧Popular Mechanics by Piano Magic (1997) [lo-fi electronic]

"Revolving Moth Cage"

Odessa by Bee Gees (1969) [baroque pop]

"Odessa (City On The Black Sea)" or "Lamplight"

Main Course by Bee Gees (1975) [soul/funk]

"Nights On Broadway" or "Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)"

---

Permanent Sleep by Lowlife (1985) [post punk/gothic rock]

"Permanent Sleep"

Larks' Tongues in Aspic by King Crimson (1973) [prog. rock]

"Book of Saturday"

🎧MAGDALENE by FKA twigs (2019) [art pop]

"sad day" or "mary magdalene"

🎧CALIGULA by Lingua Ignota (2017) [neoclassical]

"DO YOU DOUBT ME TRAITOR"

🎧Deep England by Gazelle Twin/NYX (2021) [drone choir]

"Fire Leap" or "Golden Dawn"

---

🎧Alter by Lustmord (2021) [dark ambient]

"Perihelion"

Created In the Image of Suffering by King Woman (2017) [doom metal]

"Utopia" or "Hierophant"

Bites by Skinny Puppy (1985) [electro-industrial]

"Assimilate"

Surf's Up by Beach Boys (1971) [progressive pop]

"Until I Die" or "Surf's Up"

🎧Obsidian by Baths (2013) [electronic]

"Earth Death" , "No Past Lives" , "Ironworks"

---

Passive With Desire by Choir Boy (2016) [dreampop]

"Passive With Desire" or "Hellmouth"

Wiped Out! by The Neighbourhood (2015) [electropop]

"The Beach" or "Daddy Issues"

Air Con Eden by Jerkcurb (2019) [dreampop]

"Air Con Eden" or "Voodoo Saloon"

Lookaftering by Vashti Bunyan (2005) [folk]

"Here Before"

Natural Born Losers by Nicole Dollanganger (2015) [alt. pop]

"Poacher's Pride"

[psychedeliclush]

( INFORMATION AND EXAMPLES OF EACH GENRE UNDER CUT )

SURF ROCK !

Artists: The Beach Boys, Dick Dale, Jan and Dean, The Barracudas, The Surfaris

Most popular Era: late 50s - late 60s

Basic definition: Surf rock is a vibrant subgenre of rock music that emerged in the early 1960s, primarily in Southern California. Characterized by its distinctive sound, surf rock features upbeat tempos, driving drum beats and twangy guitar licks. The lyrics of surf rock songs typically revolve around themes of surfing, teenage romance, and carefree living, adding to the genre's carefree and nostalgic vibe. 

Song examples:

TWEE POP !

Artists: The Softies, The Cannanes, Rocketship, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Tiger Trap

Most popular Era: 90s

Basic definition: Twee pop is a whimsical music genre characterized by its charming and innocent sound. With its upbeat melodies, jangly guitars, and catchy lyrics, twee pop exudes an aura of nostalgia and childlike wonder. This genre often incorporates elements of indie pop and lo-fi production, with lyrics typically exploring themes of love, friendship, and everyday experiences. Basically, twee pop is The Smiths but happier.

Song examples:

(honestly the preview does not do this song justice at all, one of my favourites)

[sleepdeprivedsimp234]

What are your blorbos favorite songs/bands?

I literally just saw this I am so sorry this took so long-

New York:

He seems like the type to listen to punk rock, hyperpop, and rap

His fav bands/artists: Green Day, AC/DC,, Odetari, Eminem, NF, Kxllswxtch, and probably Jack Stauber tbh.

Fav songs from each band/artist: Basketcase (G.D.), Safe In NYC (AC/DC), GOOD LOYAL TH*TS (Odetari), Lose Yourself (Eminem), Let You Down (NF), Scatterbrain (Kxllswxtch), and Coffee (Jack Stauber)

Louisiana:

He listens to every single genre of music, but mainly rock, rap, hyperpop and probably country as well.

Fav bands/artists: Michael Jackson, Mitch Rossell, Green Day, Taylor Swift, MCR, Surf Curse, the Animals, 6arelyhuman, and Jack Stauber

Fav songs from each band/artist: Beat It (MJ), Son (Mitch Rossell. Yes he might as well listen to a song about a loving father since he never had one himself-), Welcome To Paradise (G.D.), Enchanted or LWYMMD (Taylor Swift), Mama (MCR), In My Head Til I’m Dead (Surf Curse), House of The Rising Sun (Animals), Hands Up! (6arelyhuman), and Hope (Jack Stauber).

Texas:

He gives the vibes of someone that is a closet-Swiftie and a closet-metal and rock fan. Like- yes country music, but also metal rock and pop.

Fav bands/artists: Taylor Swift, Mitch Rossell, FFDP, Blake Shelton, Johnny Cash, Disturbed, Daughtry, MCR, Odetari and 6arelyhuman (WHO THE HELL WAS GONNA TELL ME THAT BOTH ARE FROM TEXAS).

Fav songs from each band/artist: LWYMMD (Taylor), Son (Mitch Rossell. Same reasoning as Loui.), Wrong Side Of Heaven (FFDP), God’s Country (Blake Shelton), Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash), Down With The Sickness (Disturbed), It’s Not Over (Daughtry), Dead! (MCR), FUNCTIONING ALCOHOLIC (Odetari), and XOXO (6arelyhuman).

Gov:

He defo listens to hyperpop, lo-fi, and probably just a lot of soul and sad music. Sad music for sad cat man.

Fav bands/artists: TV Girl, Sasha Sloan, Rebzyyx, Eminem, The Neighborhood, Current Joys, X Ambassadors, and Taylor Swift (HE’S A CLOSET SWIFTIE OKAY-)

Blue Hair (TV Girl), Too Sad To Cry (Sasha Sloan), I hate my emotions (Rebzyyx), Stan (Eminem +Dido), Daddy Issues (The Neighborhood), Kids (C.J), Unsteady (X. Am.), cardigan (Taylor Swift).

Tbh I haven’t thought about Mass or NJ too much- Uh- Anygays- Sorry this took a bit longer than it should’ve! <3

[walkyjake]

Meu Listens to Teenage Gizzard (2010-2011)

Main Post - Optional Supplementary Post

Preliminary

Technically this was a 2020 release, but the songs are from the very very early days of gizz ^_^ then one day they decided to put them out into the world for real... some of these songs were made before Ambrose was even in the band!

It’s a garage punk, surf kinda psych rock compilation album. Its very lo-fi, like you can hear the noise bouncing off of the walls. Made back when Stu was still couch surfing I reckon, and they were just playing at random shows and probably weren’t even called King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard yet. it’s cool to think about that kind of era, for any band i think. The novelty of being just a whatever group of guys playing music just cuz! it’s kind of beautiful.

This is actually the first gizz album I got on vinyl (along with Butterfly 3000). It was a gift from my mother... ^_^ she must’ve just picked the first albums she saw on the Gizzverse store HA! I havent listened to it yet but the disc is SUPER pretty, honestly one of my fav I own. it’s the... blue cloudy holy water pressing by needlejuice. cool..!

Oh yeah... so given this is the first one I’m listening to, and I know that there won’t be much to say about the songs, this will be quite simple. That is the nature of this album.

I basically am just listening + writing + have the Genius page open on another monitor for lyrics. And then maybe I’ll look for related things about this album (and all the others) like live vids and trivia and yeah. ok.

king gizzard is born!!!

1. Hey There (3:57)

It’s a song about falling in love. It’s cute. I did not know that in the middle of the song he goes “Girl what’s in my hair?” a buncha times. I like how jumpy that part sounds! It’s a simple garage song. It feels really laid-back, like compared to how the gizz albums after this open. Like I think of Elbow from 12 Bar Bruise and it has a bit more of a punchy and organized vibe than this. Teen Gizz is like the most barebones sound… it’s cool.

2. Ants & Bats (3:13)

The like, bassline I think, that plays throughout the whole song is so cool. This song feels menacing. Ohh the part at around 1:40 where the key changes! What that’s so cool I didn’t expect that. This song feels like bugs crawling, I guess that makes sense. Bugs stalking around their environment being evil and awesome. These lyrics here are also very good:

Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo Woo woo woo woo woo

3. Sleep (3:40)

Stu loves writing songs about sleep! (Sleep Drifter, Sleepwalker, I’m Sleepin’ In) Wow!

I got up early And you've got up too And you pull me under And you say "My leg" But I don't wanna go back to sleep again But I don't wanna stay like this for five more minutes

This is cute, he’s writing about his partner. I guess that is kind of a theme in this album because you will hardly see that in the music going forward (here and there, like in Honey, or the Butterfly 3000 title track)

It’s very bouncy! A lot of these songs are just bouncy and are a little bit hard to distinguish from each other. And it seems Stu is always making noises like he sounds like he’s running around in circles in a chamber or something.

4. Summer! (2:48)

I’ve seen this before! In the future!

It's hot, it's mean, summer, to me Green grass, won't last, sky blue, me too

These are lyrics that are repurposed in the Gumboot Soup song Muddy Water!!! It’s cute. Absolutely a summer feeling song ^_^

Ah now this album is starting to make sense to me. It’s the kind of album I will have on in the background. But that’s good. Some music is like that, where it sounds better when they are played as “accompaniment music.” I’d listen to this while I’m outside and it’s really hot. Since I’m traveling this summer to go see Gizz play live, maybe I’ll listen to this a bunch while I am outside. I think that would be nice.

I’ve always loved how, in both this song and Muddy Water, that there’s kind of a movement the song simulates in my mind. It feels like stepping one foot in front of the other but not at the same time. Like the left foot stays in the air for a long time as you bring it over and the right foot comes over really quickly. And you wave your arms out like an airplane would make turns. Kind of like how a drunk person would walk maybe, lol? Like in a comical sense. A lot of songs can evoke this imaginary feeling of a specific kind of movement/kinesthetic sensation.

5. Eddie Cousin (2:38)

The lyrics here are very simple!!! OK, kind of goes without saying because thats how this album is. Hehe. Also there’s a female vocalist in the back here huh? This definitely seems like the most garage song so far. Like I actually feel like I’m in a garage with a buncha people because some friend told me that they know some guys who play music and they invited me to go listen and it’s just this really freeball kinda party thing happening its sooooo funny. This song is cool.

Also they played it on TV? Lol. This is a funny video. Look how young they are ‘_ `

6. Fried (3:10)

Ohh, the beginning kind of reminds me of how Eyes Like The Sky sounds. But then it gets back to more garage. Yknow how it is !!!

I suppose another part of the album where I am thinking, “this is so funny, to think about the kind of music Stu is writing nowadays, and how complex it all has become.” And that’s literally just how evolution is. Over 12 years or so. But even then this is still good ^_^

7. Good To Me (2:23)

Oh yeah I like this one! It has a more sudden start and it’s just a catchy tune idk. It’s swing?? ohhh. And that female voice is back. Oh but “The repetitive lyrics make it very clear that the girl in the song doesn’t treat the narrator well.” Oh How Unfortunate. Neat song though.

8. Tomb/Beach (3:46)

OHH ^_^ Woa this one is especially good! Like all the rest are nice quaint songs but this one has a much cooler vibe to me. It has more interesting lyrics, I love how it opens, it sounds like a wave crashing a lot into like a really small cave so there’s a lot of pressure into one small space. Like a whirlpool.

Lie in the whirl Makes you hurt Lie in the sky Makes you high In my tomb, in my tomb In my tomb, in my tomb

Definitely makes sense!!! But yeah, the guitar soundsss or whatever that play in the beginning and the end of the song cus that’s where you hear them more isolated. I love those. Awesome song.

9. Trench Foot (1:55)

AHHH this song is hitting me with a pool noodle thats what it feels like. OHH THERES HARMONICA!!! Hello Ambrose =D I love all the chanting and yelling.

There’s a lot more instrument sounds here with that harmonica like I kind of hear some kinda clanging and ohh its cool. Short song but cool.

10. Life Is Cool (2:10)

YEAHH!!! I already listen to this a bit, out of all the songs in the album! This my favorite! It’s so so so fun and I think encapsulates very very early gizz the best!

Life is cool Then you die Stick a needle in your eye Cars are fun Then you crash

Omg, there’s also a little more lyrics about self harm… Interesting because this is the most cheerful sounding on this album I think. But I suppose I can understand it. It’s kind of a careless attitude song.

I can not describe specifically how wondrous this song is though. Like the rest of this album it’s like awesome crashing waves. No wonder the album cover is Like That. But it’s so so cute. I like that it’s the closer.

This is such a “King Gizzard” song to me. The gizz songs that have this particular effect on me, where they make me particularly happy in a sense separate from how usually makes me happy. From the specific composition of the song, there is like this Minutia of high twangy guitar notes that play at the second set of verses about a minute in the song and I think they are cute. All the woos and chanting and stuff. They’re in all the other songs but it seems special here I think. It is sooo joyous on somewhat of a more overarching scale. OK, I realize now that it literally just makes me think about how “life is cool,” isn’t that so silly. Well it’s awesome and I love it.

And that is kind of a feeling that I experience throughout all of the discog. This really intense feeling of insurmountably and awe and like gratefulness, or something. Some songs just REALLY capture that and so. Life Is Cool is definitely one of those.

I wish I could hear it live someday but. They’ve only played it once ever. Alas!

Afterthoughts

Theres so much noise in this album. I love the guitar feedback sounds and how rough it is. It sounds like they made the songs on this album with a metal can and some nails. And they kicked some dirt around and it got eeeverywhere <- they just did that for fun though.

I think it’s cute! There really is not much else to say but having the context of all the music I have to listen to next is really cool... Because I already see the path of progression and evolution of the band and whatever. Humble beginnings... ‘w` Consensus: cool kicky summer album. life is cool is my favorite. so cute, so youthful.

[un-local]

26, 37, 49, and 78? :0)

26: Limousine, by Beach Baby!

Oh, this is a good one. One of my top played songs since like, 2016. Found it on a Buzzfeed quiz, back in high school. Fantastic tone on the guitar. It just gets stuck in your head. Beachy, in the best way.

37: Ghuleh / Zombie Queen, by Ghost!

I know I’ve talked about this song before, but it’s phenomenal. The intro, the way it’s slow and reverent. The melody. The synths at the beginning. The piano. The tempo change. The way the vocals build in intensity over the course of the song. Beautiful, and somber at the beginning. Sinister. There's even surf rock influences.

5:04 on to the end—it’s literally the perfect climax.

And the choir in the background… who was the Ghoulette that sang that… is she sing— (gunshot)

You bet I've thrown my voice out singing along to this. You just can't not give it your all.

49: Cirice, by Ghost

I wasn’t joking about being in the top .05% of fans, XD

The beginning pulls you in wonderfully. The vocals, a man of sinister religion trying to pull the listener to his side, the appeal to one's pain, salvation thr— [UNHINGED RAMBLE REDACTED]

78: September Rain, by Jinsang

Lo-fi. Classic. Wonderful sax. Perfect song to stare out the window to, to get lost in the observation of your surroundings. To turn your brain off and lose yourself in the ah, beauty of the inadvertence of nature, or whatever.

Also, a good cooking song.

[ Send me a number! ]

[zooptseyt]

This is especially clear in hindsight but Pavement were the absolute best thing to come out of indie rock, still. Easy to see when you compare how Malkmus's solo work continues to stand up as well as any new act and especially compared to shit like Indie Cindy from his former contemporaries. Pavement hit so many different styles of music from their post-punk lo-fi origins to their country and surf infused stuff to the fast whiny punk and "90s alternative" stuff on Wowee Zowee to the twee cuteness on Terror Twilight that went over poorly at release but predicted the major trend of the next decade of indie music perfectly. It's absurd how many perfect songs they put out and how drastically different they often are. Malkmus has been called the Dylan of his generation and that's definitely correct. I wonder if he thought of that at all when he made "Xian Man" a few decades into his career. I'm sure it wasn't lost on him when he contributed to the I'm Not There soundtrack. Ultimately the best part of this is comparing Malkmus' near flawless career and personal presence as an eternally cool vaguely leftist sports dude on twitter to Billy Corgan being a perpetual dorkass loser who goes on Alex Jones. History has rarely favored one side of a beef so obviously.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

THE HIGHEST INDIE/SURF ROCK BAND ON TOUR IN THE PROVERBIAL "BLUEBERRY IN THE TOMATO SOUP."

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on Bethany Cosentino of L.A.-based indie/surf rock band BEST COAST performs onstage at a secret show at Mrs. Bea's as part of Day 1 of SXSW Music Festival 2010 on March 17, 2010 in Austin, Texas, USA, during the band's "Crazy for You" era: 📸: Roger Kisby.

Source: www.gettyimages.no/detail/news-photo/bethany-cosentino-of-best-coast-performs-onstage-at-a-news-photo/97816349.

[affairesasuivre]

JW Francis fait visiter sa pop décontractée sur “Dream House”

En manque de vitamine D ? Prenez donc votre dose de soleil, c’est le chanteur américain qui régale.

Il faut sans doute être un poil foufou pour se lancer dans le projet imaginé par JW Francis il y a de cela trois ans : répondant à sa requête sur les réseaux sociaux, des fans lui ont envoyé leurs mots d’amour pour leurs amoureux·ses quelques semaines avant la Saint-Valentin. Et pour chaque déclaration, l’artiste new-yorkais a imaginé un morceau. Une démarche originale que Francis pouvait évidemment se permettre, sa fanbase n’��tant pas celle, au hasard, de Paul McCartney. Encore fallait-il relever le défi haut la main. Une centaine de chansons plus tard (tout de même !), voici que débarque Dream House, troisième album ensoleillé et irradiant d’amour du trublion indé, composé et enregistré chez lui à Big Apple avec l’aide de ses acolytes habituels (Sahil Ansari à la production, Dan Pappalardo, entendu chez Cautious Clay, à la contrebasse sur deux titres, Margaux Bouchegnies aux chœurs).

Au final, la majorité des textes a été modifiée, adaptée pour coller à l’univers de Francis, à ses expériences et à son vécu. Seuls les deux vers de Sweet As A Rose ont été repris tels quels (“Sanaz, she’s sweet as a rose, sweet as a rose/Happy Valentine’s Day Sanaz”), ce qui fera au moins une Sanaz heureuse quelque part dans le monde.

Mais comment ne pas avoir nous aussi la banane à l’écoute de la dream pop lo-fi enchanteresse de JW Francis ? La guitare surf tout en réverb’ donnerait envie de lancer sa planche sur l’Hudson (essayez donc de rester de marbre à l’écoute de Our Story, Dream Big ou Take Me Away) et cette avalanche de bonnes vibrations réchauffera les cœurs les plus meurtris. Menées sur un rythme enlevé, Swooning et Keep It Cool, Steve lorgnent quant à elles du côté d’une indie rock do it yourself plus traditionnelle, mais le swag de Francis, qui pourrait sans conteste siéger sur le trône de la décontraction absolue, fait ici toute la différence.

Et s’il a visé “petit” pour sa tournée hivernale en Grande-Bretagne où il se produira notamment chez des disquaires, JW Francis pourrait bien revoir rapidement ses ambitions à la hausse. Le réjouissant Going Home To A Party, dernier single aux faux-airs de Metronomy, vient d’être ajouté à la playlist du jeu vidéo Rock Band 4. De quoi lui ouvrir grand les portes de sa maison rêvée.

Dream House (Sunday Best Recordings/Soundsworks). Sortie le 27 janvier 2023.

[cenaindie]

The Growlers – Ao Vivo – Bowery Ballroom https://cenaindie.com/album/the-growlers-ao-vivo-bowery-ballroom/

[lovejustforaday]

2022 Year End List - #1

The Last Thing Left - Say Sue Me

Main Genres: Indie Rock

A decent sampling of: Twee Pop, Shoegaze, Surf Rock, Slowcore

I believe this to be my most unpopular choice for #1 yet. I didn’t see a whole lot of hype for this record, which is a shame because this is the best indie rock album I’ve heard to come out in years.

Say Sue Me are a Korean band from Busan, fronted by their gentle-voiced vocalist Sumi Choi (Get it? “Sue Me”). On previous records, the band unabashedly wore their shambling C86 indie era influences on their sleeves, with a prominent mix of jangle, twee, and surf rock married with lo-fi production and carefree songwriting.

Actually hey, now wait just a damn minute. Wasn't I talking about the same thing like two reviews ago?

Why yes, it was a very good year for twee/jangle/C86 revival bands like Alvvays AND Say Sue Me, well after this revival scene came and went out of fashion in the mid-2010s. And in both instances, what made their latest records exceed so well was how they managed to branched off from the original sound (in different directions) organically, while maintaining the songwriting sensibilities of the scene.

As I explained before, Alvvays went headfirst into shoegaze territory, with some electronic and psychedelic undertones.

Meanwhile, Say Sue Me looked inwards, incorporating elements of slowcore ("steadycore"?) and embracing a more serene and wistful atmosphere.

Don't get me wrong; there are still adorable, upbeat twee pop moments here, but even those feel laced with a small tinge of melancholy. This is likely due to the unfortunate passing between records of the band’s former drummer and childhood friend Seming Kang. The original bassist (also a childhood friend) quit the band soon after. In the aftermath, the reformed band created something beautiful and profound.

On their tertiary LP The Last Thing Left, Say Sue Me look to the past with softness and grief, while facing the present with a courageous and bittersweet sense of life’s preciousness. This is a comfort album in the truest sense, with humble, full-bodied guitars and mid-tempo drums creating breathtaking backdrops from rather straightforward compositions. A collection of musical Polaroids and sepia tone flashbacks to simpler times, already acting as an old friend upon first listen.

Opening with the slowcore instrumental rock of “The Memory of The Time”, the music crawls through a small tunnel in space-time, emerging in the middle of somewhere like an abandoned tree house full of memories, located in the dense woods next to your old childhood neighborhood.

The full band sound kicks in with “Still Here”, a soothing bar rock anthem that hugs the listener’s ears from every conceivable angle in an emphatic embrace of low-pitch guitars and patient drums. Sumi sings with warm, listless reflections on how she wants to move forward in her life, before churning out the final chorus with the softened, comfort-seeking angst of “And you say that everything is okaaaaaay...”. The delicately rippling lead guitar solo of the bridge is a signature feature of this record that appears on several other tracks, and it manages to do its trick effortlessly at tugging on my heartstrings every damn time.

“Around You” is the first of an album midsection consisting mostly of a few saccharine twee pop songs, ever so slightly shaded by a drape of nostalgia that’s holding back bittersweet tears. The joyous 2/4 time romp of this particular track immediately makes me think of dog parks and local seasonal festivals fit for family outings. Sincerity at its most cuddliest.

I feel confident in saying that “꿈에 To Dream” is the absolute peak of 2020s indie rock songs thus far. This ode to the afternoon turning into evening, implying the subtle death of childhood, is sung entirely in the band’s native Korean. But you don’t necessarily need to read the translated lyrics to feel the weight of its message. From the very first note, I am transported so vividly to those after-school days that I might as well be physically there, if only I close my eyes.

The guitars become the gentle blowing wind itself, carrying the sounds and the aromas of the days long gone, which brush up against your cheek to serve as a poignant reminder of the inevitable passage of time. Probably my favourite song of the year. As an aside, the music video is equally devastating.

“Photo of You” is an elegy of thumping heartbeats and reverberant shoegazey tones. Lyrically, it is the most precise reflection on grief of the entire album, as Sumi sings about the unbearable sensation of looking at photos and not wanting to “get used to” the feeling of someone being gone. The feeling of emotional sores not ready to be treated. Completely ruinous while still somehow holding on to the feelings of love and hope at its core.

Title track “The Last Thing Left” takes the band’s old surf rock sound through steady waves of uncertainty. Sumi’s delivery in the chorus is yearning in a way as if she were trying to seize that which cannot be eroded by the sands of time.

Say Sue Me send off the listener with “George & Janice”, a re-recorded tribute to the band’s married indie label managers. The song marches along with all the adorable triumph that a marching band of frogs and ducks might embody. It’s a very cute and funny little closer, somehow both characteristically and uncharacteristically light-hearted for a record that is so sweet but also incredibly heavy for a good portion of its runtime.

I’ll be fully honest; this one record resonated with me in a particularly heavy way this year, because I am at a time in my life when it’s really starting to feel like a lot of people have started going their separate ways. I feel like, part of being human, there’s sometimes this almost masochistic need to reflect on times when your life felt easier, or the world seemed kinder. I believe that this phenomenon is something that the band Say Sue Me understands on a very intimate level.

I’m not even exactly sure what it is that’s holding me back on giving this one a 10, other than it may simply be too soon for me to make that call. Sure, it’s not reinventing the wheel by any means, but the record does everything it's intended to do with stunning grace.

I don’t really know what else to say. This wasn’t exactly an easy record for me to do a write-up for, because it’s really hard for me to put into words what exactly this little indie rock record did that no other album did so well this year.

All I can really add to what I’ve already said is that I would recommend this album to almost anyone. The Last Thing Left is a beautiful statement on how everything changes in life, and its songs have become little playgrounds of emotional refuge that I will cherish for a long time. My (very) personal choice for album of the year.

9/10

Highlights: “꿈에 To Dream”, “Still Here”, “Photo Of You”, “The Memory Of The Time”, “George & Janice”, “Around You”, “The Last Thing Left”

[chrisryanspeaks]

HNAF: Being Dead Amplifies Their Quirky Indie Sound on Explosive New Album ‘Eels’

Austin, Texas indie-rockers Being Dead initially made waves as a duo with their debut LP When Horses Would Run, released in 2023. Comprised of core members Shmoofy (Andrew Hulett) and Falcon Bitch (Julianne Reiter), the band built a reputation for their genre-blurring sound, combining lo-fi psych, garage rock, and surf pop with a quirky, irreverent spirit. Since their debut, they have expanded their lineup, welcoming bassist Nicole Roman-Johnston to bolster their live performances and contribute to their sophomore album, Eels. Tracked in Los Angeles under the guidance of Grammy Award-winning producer John Congleton (known for his work with St. Vincent, Angel Olsen, and The War on Drugs), Eels sees the band evolving their eclectic sonic palette. Drawing inspiration from garage rock, surf twang, lo-fi psychedelia, and bedroom pop, Eels is a more refined yet still playfully chaotic exploration of the band’s DIY ethos. The album maintains their signature offbeat charm, while showcasing tighter production and deeper lyrical introspection, all without losing the raw energy that made them stand out in the crowded Austin music scene. The addition of Roman-Johnston has brought a new dynamic to their sound, grounding their quirky compositions with her rhythmic basslines. Together, the trio delivers a fresh take on indie rock, blending retro influences with modern sensibilities, making Eels a noteworthy follow-up that solidifies Being Dead’s place in the indie scene. With Eels, Being Dead takes listeners on a sonic journey that blends influences as diverse as surf rock pioneers The Ventures, garage rockers The Sonics, and modern psych acts like Tame Impala, creating a sound that is as nostalgic as it is refreshingly original. Rating: 9/10 - Excellent Album https://open.spotify.com/album/2gQOY7nW9BsZjdztVloaFT?si=AaPEV-QvS16SufMBQC0e1A Read the full article

[indietapes]

Ukleti Dukat - Dva dukata za poslije (Indie Rock)

🕑 1 min / Text: Adrian Release Date: 22.08.2022 I unfortunately don't speak or understand the Croatian language, but I absolutely love the sound, especially in such a great indie rock track! 'Dva dukata za poslije' by Ukleti Dukat literally feels like an old 60s record, featuring pretty cool surf rock, lo-fi and psychedelic elements. All I can say is that I really dig the traditional folk influences as well as the vintage distortion sound, the song has to offer! You can check out the preview below. If you like what you hear, make sure to find out more about Ukleti Dukat on Instagram and Spotify: Stream: https://open.spotify.com/track/5hSRBCWIkGC6bvg6F1BfAj Follow: www.instagram.com/ukleti_dukat ✔️ Available on our Indie Playlist on Spotify.

[dark-patterns]

"Send yourself into a glitchy state of hypnosis with Dark Patterns’s “Dislocation.” The new single from the experimental group continues to see them blending seemingly opposing tones and tempos for a refreshing electro-psychedelic sound that instantly grabs you. There are hints of lo-fi in the vocals while the drums steer toward dance music with their spurts of lively tempos, and the guitar tones feel like they’re from an unknown emo-surf-rock scene yet to be explored. These elements bleed into each other without making a mess on “Dislocation.” While the band thrives on creating the unthinkable, their collage-style approach to song craft evokes a welcoming warmth. Dark Patterns’ captivating fusion work knows no bounds as “Dislocation” fearlessly ventures into unchartered electro-rock territory." (Blog only available in the US)